by Furnishly | Jan 27, 2023 | Design Inspiration, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
If you’re a regular France & Son, Scout & Nimble, or Horchow browser or shopper, then you’ve probably stumbled upon Four Hands. Known predominantly for their furniture and other goods, they’re a go-to source for many pro designers looking to furnish clients’ spaces with stylish, substantial pieces that ship in a fairly quick time frame. Well, now that the brand has officially launched their Four Hands Art Studio offshoot, designers — and everyone else! — can now shop approximately 800 ready-to-hang artworks by nearly 200 different independent artists working at the top of their field around the globe.
Part of what makes shopping for art so intimidating is the curation process: How do you find a piece that resonates with you, supports an actual living artist or late artist’s foundation/estate, and doesn’t cost a small fortune? That’s the void Four Hands Art Studio is trying to help fill. In their assortment, the brand has done the legwork to bring museum-quality, ready-to-hang works to market from a wide variety of sources working in different styles across multiple mediums, from watercolor and oil painting to collage and photography.
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You’ll find everything from iconic snapshots by Slim Aarons (licensed through Getty Images) to painterly prints from emerging artists that boast rich colors and textures, which rival the originals they’re reproduced from. The frames are all made from American maple, so you know you’re getting something that’s built to last, and the lead time for pieces is about two weeks (not including shipping). Pricing isn’t exactly cheap, but it’s on par with some of the other artist-driven marketplaces you may already know: Tappan, Artsper, Saatchi, or Minted. If you order through Scout & Nimble, which seems to have the largest Four Hands Art Studio assortment right now, know that every artwork ships free regardless of size, which is a nice added bonus.
Pieces come in a wide variety of sizes, and, of course, the bigger you go, the more expensive they get. Four Hands has a decent selection of sizable offerings under $500; some favorites include the work of artist and registered nurse Aileen Fitzgerald, whose framed landscapes hark back to early Impressionism, as exemplified in her 24-inch by 16-inch piece Hillside Haze II (shown above) and artist Kara Buse, who produces atmospheric desert photography, like her work Light Leaks 12.
In general, art tends to be on the splurgier side of the home purchase spectrum, especially when you’re supporting someone making a living doing what they love (either directly or through a marketplace that’s dedicated to discovering talent). Whether you spend a lot or a little on a piece though, if it truly strikes a chord in you, it’ll bring so much personality to your space that it’ll earn its keep on your walls in spades.
by Furnishly | Jan 23, 2023 | Design Inspiration, Style
Olivia Harvey
Olivia Harvey is a freelance writer and award-winning scriptwriter from outside Boston, Massachusetts. She’s a big fan of scented candles, getting dressed up, and the 2005 film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Keira Knightley. You can make sure she’s doing okay via Instagram and/or Twitter.
by Furnishly | Jan 23, 2023 | Design Inspiration, DIY, Style
Clothes and fabric — much like trinkets from travels, pieces of furniture, and cards from birthdays past — can hold a ton of sentimental value. Whether it be a T-shirt from a favorite concert, a scrap of sample fabric from a project long-since completed, or an article of clothing from a loved one, people cling to certain pieces much longer than others. But what do you do when that item no longer fits? Sure, you could tuck it in the back of a drawer or store it high up in the closet. What if I told you there’s a clever, rental-friendly DIY project you can use if for instead, though? That’s right. Two words: fabric wallpaper.
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“I love using vintage fabric as wallpaper,” says Gretchen Raguse of her Portland, Oregon home, which features this crafty hack in more than one spot. Where’d she get her inspiration? None other than Apartment Therapy! “I came across this idea on Apartment Therapy a few years ago and knew I needed to try it out in my own space,” says Raguse. “I started with an accent wall in my kitchen, meant to visually divide the area for my office. Repurposing a dress my mom made in the ’70s, I cut and pasted the fabric together to form a repeating pattern.”
Raguse only had enough material to cover a small section of wall, so she added trim and beadboard to round out the wall, which created the pretty patterned panel you see above. “Fabric as wallpaper quickly became an obsession of mine and made its way through my apartment,” she adds. “After the accent wall, I added it to my hallway ceiling and bedroom (as shown below). Even my friend’s place got a fabric makeover!”
If you’re ready to try this idea out yourself, I’d recommend checking out this in-depth tutorial, but here’s the gist: You start by positioning your chosen fabric on a freshly-cleaned wall with tape, lining up any edges. Lift up the fabric and roll a nice layer of liquid starch onto the wall, then smooth the fabric out onto the wall, removing any bubbles or wrinkles as you go. Next, add another thick layer of liquid starch on top of the fabric, ensuring it’s totally saturated through to the wall. Finally, cut the excess fabric off with a utility knife. When you’re ready for a change, the fabric will come right off with a soapy sponge bath. Genius, no?
by Furnishly | Jan 23, 2023 | Design Inspiration, Style
Now, you may have them shoved in the back of a cabinet or maybe they’re sprawled out across your kitchen counters, but this all probably feels a little too cluttered for your liking. So what’s a spice lover to do? Luckily, there are a variety of organizational tools available for keeping everything from your paprika to your pumpkin spice in line. Below, we rounded up 15 of the best spice organizers you can get your hands on today. From classic jars and shelving to some more innovative finds, we promise you’ll find something you’ll love.
Have a spice organizer that you swear by? Tell us about your favorite organizing finds in the comments below!
by Furnishly | Jan 21, 2023 | Design Inspiration, DIY, Style
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
The easiest way to make a home really feel like home, whether you rent or own, is to fill it with art that resonates with you. Maybe that art is a print of a favorite vacation destination, or a great photo of a loved one. Or maybe it’s just something that you like looking at because the colors or the subject matter speaks to you on some level. No matter the reason for your selection, the art you choose helps bring your personality to the forefront of your space.
That said, art can be expensive, especially if you’re looking for a lot of it at once (gallery wall, anyone?). Thankfully, there are plenty of clever and resourceful DIYers who prove that you don’t need to spend a ton to adorn your walls with something beautiful. Here, take a look at eight smart ideas for DIY art that range from high-quality prints of classics to totally custom three-dimensional textured pieces. All come in at under $20 a pop, so you can outfit multiple rooms without breaking the bank.
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Printable Art with a Luxe Upgrade
You may already know that the National Gallery of Art has free, downloadable images of its permanent collection that you can browse by art type, nation of origin, timeframe, style, or even subject to find the perfect piece for your home. But here’s a DIY that will make a free printable look like a priceless piece. Instead of printing the piece on paper, Erin of Francois et Moi used printable canvas; from there, she attached it to a repurposed frame. The effect looks downright luxurious, all for easily under $20 per piece.
This upcycled sculptural art is perfect if you’re craving tonal texture, and the main material is certainly something you have on hand. Here, Geneva of Collective Gen layered abstract shapes cut from leftover packaging to create her design. Then, she unified the look with a generous layer of joint compound overtop.
Jorge of Casa Refined has a knack for transforming unconventional materials into inspiring art. For this project, he carved a geometric design into a piece of craft foam from the hardware store, before painting it in a classic cream and black palette. The finishing touch: a pine frame around the edges, which pulls the whole piece together. You can use his methods to create your own pattern and customize the palette to your liking.
When it comes to decor, nothing is easier or cheaper than looking around your home to see what could be framed as art among the things you already own. Brittni of Paper & Stitch created the two pieces shown here by simply framing a tea towel and wallpaper sample she had laying around. Some other ideas to consider: pictures cut from an old calendar, an interesting illustration from a greeting card, or a collage of old tickets to museums or shows.
For a more natural vibe, preserve a sensory memory by pressing and displaying flowers, as Studio DIY did here. Choose something that’s tied to a special memory — like the types of flowers that were in the garden of your childhood home, or varieties that were in a favorite bouquet — or just visit the floral aisle of a local grocery store and see what calls to you.
For this simple but impactful piece, Jorge of Casa Refined was inspired by artist James Turrell’s “Light and Space” work. He got the same vibes in his home by using an upcycled tabletop — which he texturized with drywall compound — and an LED light. This DIY looks like it belongs in a museum, but Jorge pulled it off in less than a day.
Hand-Lettered Custom Poster
Pick a phrase, pick a paper, and pick a paint, and you’ve got a display-worthy piece in the making. You can find high-quality, poster-sized paper in almost any color for under $10 at your local art store. For her handmade art, Brittni of Paper & Stitch practiced hand lettering her phrase a few times on scrap paper before committing paint to the final sheet.
Jorge of Casa Refined put his DIY leftovers to work by displaying a splattered drop cloth. Mounting it to a pegboard — another hardware store staple — helps give it a little extra interest and texture. This art definitely makes the case for mining your local hardware store for supplies and inspo!
